1. Technical Field
The field of the disclosure relates to providing secure fiber optic connections, and in particular, including in or out of fiber optic adapter panels, fiber optic modules, fiber optic terminals, and/or parking lot compartments in fiber optic terminals.
2. Technical Background
To provide improved performance to subscribers, communication and data networks are increasingly employing optical fiber. The benefits of optical fiber are well known and include higher signal-to-noise ratios and increased bandwidth. To further improve performance, fiber optic networks are increasingly providing optical fiber connectivity all the way to end subscribers. These initiatives include various fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP), fiber-to-the-home (FTTH), and other fiber initiatives (generally described as FTTx).
In this regard, FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary fiber optic network 10. The fiber optic network 10 provides optical signals from switching points 12 over a distribution network 13 comprised of fiber optic feeder cables 14. The optical signals may be carried over the fiber optic feeder cables 14 to local convergence points (LCPs) 16. The LCPs 16 act as consolidation points for splicing, making cross-connections and interconnections, as well as providing locations for couplers and splitters. Fiber optic cables 18, such as distribution cables, exit the LCPs 16 to carry optical signals between the LCPs 16 and one or more intermediate Fiber Distribution Terminals (FDTs) 22.
Because LCPs 16 are typically configured to service multiple premises 20, the fiber optic cables 18 leaving the LCPs 16 are typically run to the FDTs 22. The FDTs 22 facilitate FTTx applications by providing network access points to the fiber optic network 10 to groupings of subscribers' premises 20. Typical subscriber premises 20 include single-dwelling units (SDU), multi-dwelling units (MDU), businesses, and/or other facilities or buildings.
Optical interconnections to the subscribers' premises 20 are typically provided via indoor/outdoor drop cables 24 that are optically interconnected with the fiber optic cables 18 within the FDTs 22. The FDTs 22 also provide a consolidated location for technicians or other installation personnel to make and protect splices between the drop cables 24 and the fiber optic cables 18 as opposed to making splices in sporadic locations.
There may be a number of fiber optic adapter panels and/or modules in the LCPs or FDTs. Given the number of optical interconnections in the LCPs or FDTs, one concern is that improper connections or disconnections of fiber optic cables to the fiber optic adapter panels or modules may occur. There may be little to no control over physical access such that anyone with access to the LCPs or FDTs or other locations where a fiber optic cable is terminated has the ability to change the configuration of the fiber optic cables. The improper connections or disconnections may be inadvertent or malicious. Inadvertent connections or disconnections can cause network downtime. Malicious connections or disconnections can facilitate traffic filtering, sniffing, or mirroring, and is a security risk. Thus, there is a need to be able to secure fiber optic connectors to a fiber optic adapter panel and/or lock the connectors out of a fiber optic adapter panel or module.
In addition, Passive Optical Network (PON) technology has been developed for FTTH applications in access networks. However, only fairly recently has this technology been available at affordable costs. This technology has now been adopted in more than 12 million homes. A core element of the PON is an optical splitter with a central (single) split or a distributed (two-step) split architecture. The splitter in central split architecture is typically placed in a fiber optic cabinet or terminal. In addition, premises cabling may provide for fiber-to-the-desk (FTTD) applications in local area networks (LANs). Here, a special security requirement may be necessary because the LANs could be used in military, government or high-security research areas. In these high-security networks, it is common practice to have different physical or logical networks within a general, overall network. Due to the nature of the PON system, all signals are available on all ports at the end-user side of the optical splitter. This represents a security risk if not all ports are used or connected. Thus, there is also a need to secure the unused ports on the end-user side of the optical splitter in these PON systems.